Contemporary Artisanship in Rome: Trompe L'Oeil

Artisanship is alive and well in Rome. We've found it in odd places (a luthier, a watch-band store, a glove shop - though some of those did not survive Covid). And, most recently, in our landlady for our San Lorenzo Airbnb. 

Licia Rossi (aka the landlady) is a wonderful artist, and also, with her partner, a purveyor of trompe l'oeil. We visited her San Giovanni studio and watched her at work.

Licia Rossi in her San Giovanni studio.

Her painting, which is her passion, has been exhibited widely. The trompe l'oeil, which we had not seen so pervasively in contemporary interiors, was equally intriguing.

Right, a design for a bedroom wall - and the painting for the wall design to the left of the photo of the bedroom.

Left, Licia's partner, Antonio Malleo, working on one of their wall paintings.

 

And here, a true tromp l'oeil from their Facebook site:

Another work we liked that shows off their "chromatic" approach (their Facebook and Instagram pages bear the word "cromaticamente"):

You can see more of their art - and Licia and Antonio at work - on their Facebook page, which will lead you into more photos on Instagram.

https://www.facebook.com/malleorossi/

Below this post, a few more photos, including the unassuming "street" in San Giovanni where Licia's studio is located.

Dianne

Licia with her sketches.

Visiting the studio.

Artisans in Rome - perhaps a dying breed

The carefully collected and preserved tools of the restorer.

Rome still hosts true artisans, although lamentations can be heard throughout the city that they are being driven out by tourism (wine bars, international brand stores).

We were delighted one day to be invited to the restoration shop of one of Bill's fellow soccer players, Maurizio (the only name by which we knew him).  "Come visit my shop," Maurizio kept saying to Bill as they left the soccer field time and again.  Being suspicious Americans, we anticipated being in an awkward position of having to buy something we couldn't afford or didn't want.  We were so off the mark.

Maurizio Carletti, not stopping his work even to chat, and his uncle, who
praises his skill.

Maurizio wanted to show us his artisan expertise in restoration. His one-room shop is crammed with tools, some of them over 100 years old.  He learned his trade from his father, who opened the shop in 1966, but, his uncle told us, Maurizio's skills surpass the father's (and the uncle's).

Showing us valuable compounds.

Maurizio also makes his own compounds for restoration, especially gilding.  He thought about expanding his business to, for example, London, but he couldn't figure out a way to bring his special compounds into that country.

Since we were at the shop, we found a Web site Maurizio maintains, in English, and a Facebook page, and an Italian site, devoted to artisans in the province of Lazio (home of Rome).

Before and after pictures of Maurizio's work.

Maurizio too bemoans the decline in his trade; this kind of furniture is not prized as much by the modernist and post-modernist younger generations.  You can only restore so many pieces for the French Embassy or Museo Braschi, it appears.  And, of course, rents are going up in this hot tourist area around Piazza Navona.  But, like other lamenters, we hope Rome will find a way to maintain these artisans, who are such a critical part of Rome life.

Stop by and look - Laboratorio Restauro Carletti, via del Teatro Pace, 26.

Dianne

Tools you can't find anymore.

More tools.

Maurizio took a break after clamping this down.

Craftsmanship in Rome: a Liutare in the Centro

Rome the Second Time made a “find” in the Centro one recent evening.  While strolling the medieval streets near Ponte Mazzini between art openings (tough duty, but…), we were entranced by the window of a “Liutare” – which we soon learned is a violin-maker. 

The glimpses inside the large (for this area of Rome) store were mesmerizing: all types of stringed instruments – new and old – in a beautiful room that looked like the home of a craftsman.  As we were peering in the window, a man appeared, opened the door and invited us in.  He explained his craft and also invited us to his workshop in back, where three younger men were at work on various instruments.  He introduced one as from Prague, another as his “son” – apparently in the sense of someone who is learning his business.

 Our kind host was Claude Lebet, a “Maestro Liutaio” – Master Violin maker-- and also an author of an impressively large book (in Italian and English) on the history of violin making in Rome.  Originally Swiss, Libet has lived in Italy for more than 30 years.

We lamented to Maestro Lebet that artisans seemed to be being driven out of the Centro by upscale shops, galleries, and wine bars.  But, we added, his was obviously a high-end artisanship and could survive here.  But he too said rents were getting very high, and indicated it was difficult even for him to remain in the City.

Claude Lebet at left

We took our leave of Maestro Lebet and his magnificent workshop, thinking how lucky we were to have stumbled on it.  And, we recommend a stop here for you too.  Via di Monserrato 149/150.  www.claudelebet.com.

Dianne